Re: [Usability] Interface Design Question

[Calum Benson <Calum Benson Sun COM>]

On Thu, 2004-09-23 at 14:58, Kyle Girard wrote:

> In my project I have three checkboxes one for each language Java, C, and
> C++ and when they are checked/unchecked they add/remove the usual
> filename extensions for those languages to a list.  The user can then
> add custom extensions or remove any extension from the list via add and
> remove buttons.  But if I wanted to make my interface comply with the
> HIG I would have to rework the interface somehow so that the checkboxes
> don't modify the list but I cannot seem to come up with any idea.

Although it's possibly in breach of the letter of the guidelines, I
don't think your current design is in breach of the spirit-- perhaps
that's our cue to tweak the wording a little. (Although your design
could possibly still be improved by not using checkboxes, it's hard to
say without seeing it in action... for example, it might be a little
confusing that you can only add a standard extension to the list by
using its checkbox, but you can remove again it with either the checkbox
or a Remove button-- if that is indeed the case.)

Anyway, what the HIG is really trying to emphasise is that you should
use checkboxes to show and change the state of settings, rather than to
initiate actions.  And it sounds like you're using the checkbox to
show/change an "include this filename extension when doing (whatever it
is you're doing)" setting, so using a checkbox could be considered
acceptable.  Like I said, though, hard to say for sure without knowing
more about the task at hand.

Cheeri,
Calum.

-- 
CALUM BENSON, Usability Engineer       Sun Microsystems Ireland
mailto:calum benson sun com            Java Desktop System Group
http://ie.sun.com                      +353 1 819 9771

Any opinions are personal and not necessarily those of Sun Microsystems